Treading with care in art authentication

Highly regarded art scholars are keeping mum, or communicating only cryptically, regarding their doubts as to the authenticity of claimed works by French master Edgar Degas. Why? They’re afraid of being sued:

Unfortunately, such silence is not an isolated incident but part of what seems to be a growing trend nationwide among art experts, where fear of litigation seems to be stifling open, honest and constructive debate. Also keeping much quieter than they should on the matter of the Degas sculpture market are organizations such as the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Art Dealers Association of America, the American Association of Museums and the College Art Association.

[William D. Cohan, Bloomberg]

3 Comments

  • “A Degas should be numbered, shouldn’t it?”
    — Smiley’s People

  • September 20, 2011

    All bronzes, much less in brass attributed to Edgar Degas, are non-disclosed 2nd to 3rd-generation-removed forgeries with non-disclosed counterfeit “Degas” inscriptions.

    The reason many of the so-called experts are not speaking out on the -new- non-disclosed posthumous forgeries, falsely attributed to a dead Edgar Degas, is because many of the museums and collections they represent have -old- non-disclosed posthumous forgeries, falsely attributed to a dead Edgar Degas.

    Hence, a den of thieves.

    To learn more about these contentious issues of authenticity, Google: Gary Arseneau and Degas.

    Caveat Emptor!

    Gary Arseneau
    artist, creator of original lithographs & scholar
    Fernandina Beach, Florida

  • Mojo, all my art is numbered. Usually 1 is for red, 2 for blue and 3 for green…